This invention relates to dog harnesses and specifically to harnesses that allow dogs to carry useful items that might become necessary during walking of a dog.
When a dog is taken for a walk, there are a number of items that many dog owners need to take along with them. Such items include a water bottle, a water dish, a dog toy, a dog brush, a bag to pick up dog droppings, and even medication for the dog. Instead of making the dog owner into a dog""s accessory carrier, it is by far more convenient to let the dog carry its own equipment.
In the past, a number of solutions were provided wherein the dog was equipped with means for carrying various objects. One such solution is demonstrated in a U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,772 where supply bags could be attached to a dog harness. Another is a U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,902 where a specific strap assembly is used for maintaining packs on the dog""s back.
What is lacking in the above-cited inventions is an arrangement wherein the dog pack is integrated with a collar thus allowing the dog owner to control the dog on the leash while ensuring that the loads mounted on a dog remain centered and do not slide to the sides of the dog. Another missing feature is an ability to provide a carrying means for a wide variety of items that might be desirable for storage on a dog. In addition, the disclosed invention differs in its structure and concept from the known prior art.
The present invention represents a dog pack harness that allows a dog to carry its own necessary items when it is taken for a walk thus freeing the dog owner from having to carry extra loads.
The dog pack harness is comprised of a base member, which is positioned on the back and side of a dog. There are numerous pocket elements and holding elements attached to the base member for storage of various items, which might be needed during the duration of an excursion with the dog. The base member is secured to the dog via two separate strap assembly means. The first one is a ventral strap assembly means which loops around the underside of the dog. The second one is a dorsal strap assembly means which connects the base member to the collar element. Together, the two strap assembly means ensure that the base member remains stable on the back of the dog and does not slide back or to the sides of the dog.
Since various breeds of dogs have greatly varying neck sizes, a special feature is introduced in the collar element. Normally, a collar size could be adjusted to change its diameter to accommodate varying sizes of dogs. Additionally, many dog collars have buckles. Normally the buckle is the heaviest part of the collar and it will naturally slide down to be positioned on the front of the dog""s neck. However, in the present invention, the back of the collar has a collar attachment to which one end of the dorsal strap assembly means is secured. This creates a problem since a perfectly centered collar and a ventral strap assembly means would slide sideways on a different sized dog, since the buckle will move to a side due to an adjustment in the size of the collar. Therefore, a special mechanism is incorporated into the invention to allow slidability of the collar attachment along the length of the collar while allowing securing of the collar attachment to the collar at any portion of the collar.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved dog pack harness.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a dog pack harness that has an ability to fit on different sized dogs while remaining centered on the body of the dog.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent by reference to the following description of the invention, description of a preferred embodiment, appended claims, and accompanying drawings.